Miss Take, Miss Fortune, and Sir Prize
by NekoFoxYokai
Summary: ADOPTED. A princess from another dimension is transported along with two others into the Naruniverse- but thats not it, why do so many people look like people from her dimension? Could they be the same people just different dimensions? if so who's the pri
1. Prologue

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* * *

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Miss Take, Miss Fortune, and Sir Prize

_Prologue_

"Daughter of the Moon

Sacrificial lamb for heart

Feathered flesh beats the wind

For who shall stand against her coming?

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Through those eyes

Who've seen so much of pain

Risen in the prophecy

Is his name.

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Foxbrother stands alone

Tangled in the thorns of fate.

Daughter's mistake

Leads slit tongue to lick aching wounds.

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Surprise came to the Caverns of Pain.

Misfortune waits in the Towers of Rain.

The hunt is now begun. The First Light's hounds now course, and kill.

Shall she cast out devil? Shall he take up serpent?

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Quixotic host

Drawn to Foxbrother pure

Fight the blood that sings

Lest forever hear lamenting cries.

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Hark! He, the eyes of rubies!

Two roads before him, one to death, one to life.

Which will he choose? Which will he choose?

What hand shelters? What hand slays?

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Maestro of twisted winds

Dancing macabre, in place the King

Pawns and Lancet lost the laurel

So the game continues in the hands of the pawn-won Queen

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

Peruse the sage's words

Decrypt truth from the distorted.

Removal of five

Damages the leash.

Blood feeds blood.

Blood calls blood.

Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever-"

"Still trying to figure out what that means Rose?"

Rose, a slender built girl with long carefully curled red-gold hair and grey eyes, looked up from the vellum pages of her black leather-bound book to the doorway of the library where Alyss, a girl with long golden hair set in a braid crown on her head and caramel eyes, walked into the room. The pale crimson silk of her dress shimmered as she moved. Her cloak was a rich, soft ash, and a frothy net of lace was intricately worked into her braid. She fingered a heavy gold necklace as she looked thoughtfully at her. Rose stood up off the window ledge where she sat and met Alyss's gaze with dignified poise. Unlike Alyss, a deep blue velvet cloak lined with pale fur rested on her shoulders, its hood hanging down behind to her waist with a cluster of silver bells at the peak. They jingled when she moved. A silver filigree circlet held her long, red-gold curls, and delicate silver rings hung at her pointed ears, while a necklace of heavy silver links and dark green emeralds lay around her neck. Her pale blue silk dress was embroidered with painstakingly intricate designs, the skirt slashed with inserts the color of rich cream. A wide belt of woven silver encircled her waist, and velvet slippers peeked from under the hem of her dress.

"I came to see how you were, mother is worried you'll never leave your books," she paused disdainfully, gesturing vaguely at the multiple rows of books. She never took her eyes from her, though. "Many Icarians say you'll never become queen at the way you're going at it."

"I doubt you came here just to tell me what mother and the Icarians think about me Alyss." Rose said gracefully.

Alyss's lips twisted with distaste. "The Queen, our lady mother," she announced, "commands that Lady Rosaria attends the meeting with Lord Garuda and Maiden Avis to discuss the tactics for the war in Galingale. Of course I have to attend as well." she added, rolling her eyes.

Rose gave her an empathetic look. "Don't worry Alyss, your presence will not require you to discuss tactics. You and I are required to attend to prepare us if we are to become Queen of Icarus." she reasoned softly.

Alyss snorted very unladylike. "I envy your conviction, Rose." she breathed. "I die of boredom every time I have to attend meetings with other lords and ladies. I'm glad you're first in line to being the Daughter-heir, may you live a long life and have grandchildren by the time you retire as Queen so I never have to be."

"Why Lady Alyssum!" she gasped, her hand on her chest as she pretended to be scandalized, but her unsuppressed smile gave her away. She gave up her efforts with a giggle. "Alyss, I swear, you were a Maiden of the TalonSpear in a past life." she teased.

"Better Maiden Alyss TalonSpear than Lady Alyssum, sister of Queen Rosaria al'Icarii," Alyss retorted, sticking her tongue out childishly.

Rose smiled. "Well, if we're lucky this meeting will last only an hour." she said reassuringly.

"I don't know about that… Lord Garuda looked awfully stressed…" Alyss mumbled uncertainly.

Rose continued as if she didn't hear her. "Then, after the meeting, if we're even luckier, we can go visit our friend Salix."

"Salix?" Alyss asked hopefully, her face flushing slightly with suppressed excitement, or at least that's what Rose took it as.

Salix and Caprea were Alyss and Rose's playmates when they were younger. Of course Salix had first been a simple stableboy, but Rose and Alyss had met him by chance when they were sneaking around the castle playing a boring game of hide and seek. Two people playing hide and seek couldn't possibly be a fun game, so they had asked him to play with them. They had so much fun then that they made Salix their playmate. So Salix left the stable to playing games with them because Rose had asked their mother and of course she agreed with a few conditions. Imagine their surprise when Salix said he had a twin sister as well. They immediately called for her as well and both Rose and Alyss were enchanted by Caprea's hair. Unlike Rose's red-gold curls, Caprea was born with the strangest hair color they had ever seen, light carnation. They played hours with her hair on end. Of course, as part of the condition her mother had said, Rose took charge of seeing Salix and Caprea financially so they lived comfortably, though she probably would have done it anyway after learning the two were orphans. She had even arranged a small fortune as Caprea's dowry when she had wanted to marry. She married a merchant named Frondrick from a different village in Icarus about a year ago, so Rose and Alyss barely got to see them, but they visited Salix in the house Rose bought for him near the castle whenever they could.

Rose nodded. "I heard Caprea came to visit him, bringing more than just her husband to accompany them." she said smiling as she saw Alyss's eyes light up.

"A babe!" she cried out happily. "Oh, I can't wait to hold her in my arms!"

Rose blinked. "What makes you so sure her babe is a girl?" she asked curiously as she took a step for the door, setting her book down on a table as she passed by it.

Alyss smiled, clenching her hands in front of her and looked ahead of her dreamily as she followed in step beside her. "Since I first saw her heavy with child, I've always thought Caprea would have a girl…" she sighed.

"Ah-hah, so Maiden TalonSpear has a weakness for wee little babes does she?" Rose teased, as she closed the hand carved mahogany door to the library behind them.

They made their way through the long hallway, one side lined with mahogany doors and the other with beautifully arched large windows, draped with cream colored curtains trimmed with gold edges and tied back by braided gold ribbon tassels.

"All women hope to hold their child in their arms one day, but I am the daughter of a queen and won't be married until years to come, so until then I can be satisfied by holding Caprea's babe." she sniffed indignantly.

"And do you have anyone in mind who may sire _your_ babe?" Rose asked, truly curious.

Alyss's face flushed. "W-what kind of question is that to ask?" she stammered as she looked down at her ash velvet slippers in attempt to hide her blush.

Rose shrugged gracefully as if she wasn't truly interested, though she was burning on the inside for an answer. "It's a simple question. I'm only curious if any lord has tickled your fancy." she said, not hiding her curiosity in her voice to show she was earnest.

"But it's not a simple question!" Alyss protested, making a maid who was exiting one of the rooms with a bundle of sheets in her arms squeak. The maid bowed as they drew near, Alyss keeping quiet with embarrassment for raising her voice.

Rose merely waved the servant away, ignoring her as she examined Alyss's face. The maid gave one last bow before scurrying off with the sheets. Once the maid was out of earshot Rose spoke. "It is a simple question." she said firmly. "I'm only curious if I should avoid any lord's eye because you've already had your heart set on him." she giggled as she saw Alyss's face darken, though now she slightly doubt it was from embarrassment anymore.

"You just concentrate on ruling all of Icarus, and I'm sure I can at least find myself a husband." she sniffed, crossing her arms very unladylike.

"It'll be a wonder if you do without my help Alyss, you act more and more like a woolheaded lummox everyday." Rose mumbled.

"Hn." Alyss replied as she walked up ahead.

Rose smiled at Alyss's stubbornness. It'd take a sharp man to tame _that_ lioness.

* * *

The rest of the way to the Assembly Hall was spent in silence and Rose made no move to break it. It was better to let Alyss cool down, though Rose did step up to walk beside her. When they finally arrived outside the door to the Assembly Hall they paused, but neither made to open the door. Rose composed her face to a calm serenity and when she turned to Alyss, she saw she sported a blank expression. She sighed. Alyss really was helpless, she thought as she opened the door.

The room was almost like the Grand Hall, large and walls decorated with intricate tapestries. In the center of the room was a long kauri table which obviously showed great craftsmanship. At the head of the table sat a beautiful woman who's very presence illuminated the room. She was a busty woman with caramel eyes and loose curls of golden hair held back by a gold filigree circlet-more intricate than Rose's simple silver circlet-with a amethyst jewel shaped like a teardrop hung in the center of her brow. She looked like Alyss's splitting image except her beauty was matured and ripened and held more graceful assurance like Rose. She wore a verdant silk dress with ash lover's knots on the bosom and a woven belt of gold around her waist the only indication which showed the division to the skirt of the flowing dress. Her attire was simpler than Rose's, but she held herself proud and regally which made her unmistakably the queen.

To her left sat a man who looked to be in his middle years, his hair had all been shaven except for a silver topknot tied with a leather cord. Two distinguished red lines ran down the sides of his cheeks from the corner of his eyes. He wore an ash silk shirt under a high-collared coat. Tangled, long-thorned briars climbed each red sleeve in a thick, gold-embroidered line, and ran around each cuff. Golden herons stood on the collars, which were edged with gold. Herons were the symbol for the greatest of blademasters and Lord Garuda Talon was the head of the male division of the militia, the First Talon.

To Lord Garuda's left another woman was seated, but unlike their mother, she was obviously a warrior. Maiden Avis TalonSpear, head of the female division of the militia, the Maidens of the TalonSpear. She was a tall woman that it was even noticeable when she was sitting. She had dark skin from the sun and red hair cut short except for a tail in the back that hung to her shoulders. She wore a grey cotton shirt and a dark orange cloth wrapped loosely around her neck. Rose would have bet the whole kingdom that Maiden Avis wore breeches and boots just as Lord Garuda. She resisted to gulp as she saw her blue eyes turn to them. Those eyes always seemed so calculating and no matter the position she always seemed poised to leap, even if she was sitting down, calmly watching them.

That's why the Maidens of the TalonSpear were the stronger division of the militia, or at least that's how Rose saw it. The Maidens of the TalonSpear trained their whole lives just like men, but unlike men, they dedicated their lived for the TalonSpear and hardly ever married. The Icarians said they were wedded to the god of Death, Thanatos, the day they were given their first spear. Maiden Avis's blue eyes unsettled her, but she took comfort with the fact that she took the protection of the people seriously. It was even obvious with the way she dressed in the presence of the queen that she thought her training with a spear was more important than putting on silk frocks. Rose respected the woman's bravery she told herself and wouldn't show fear to one who was born to protect.

Alyss and Rose curtsied gracefully in unison at the three in the room before heading to their chairs beside their mother, Rose sitting directly to her right and Alyss on hers.

"Salutations my Queen Drosera, Lord Garuda, Maiden Avis." Rose greeted once they sat comfortably. The tree nodded as their name was called in acknowledgement though Maiden Avis's gaze lingered longer than the others.

"Greetings Lady Rosaria, Lady Alyssum." Lord Garuda replied pleasantly despite his obviously travel worn face which became more obvious now that Rose sat across from him and could see his face more clearly. Rose nodded politely, accepting his greeting, quickly kicking Alyss in the shin under the table so she'd do the same.

"You honor us Lord Garuda." she said humbly as she smiled dazzlingly.

"Are we here to discuss the tactics to be used in Galingale or are we going to exchange pleasantries all day?"

Rose was about to kick Alyss in the shin again when she realized it was Maiden Avis who had spoken. She blinked and turned her gaze to the irritated Maiden and noticed that it was first time she had ever seen the warrior woman without her war paint and at least one speak in hand.

"Peace, Maiden Avis," Queen Drosera said in a rich, warm voice which held Rose's assurance of obedience a hundred times over. "Your TalonSpear Maidens will soon be needed for this war so calm yourself. Lord Garuda, if you please, I would like to get on with the meeting."

As if her words were a catalyst, the mood in the room suddenly turned sullen as Lord Garuda nodded and pulled out a scroll and spread it out in the center of the table, keeping it stable by two weights on either end. Rose looked down at the map drawn in the parchment and immediately knew it was of the borderland between Galingale and Icarus.

"It is becoming difficult for my men to hold the appending force from invading Icarus, as we strike down one, twenty more take his place." Lord Garuda informed seriously. "The Galindrian armies are starting to advance and resent events have forced me to leave my Captain-General in charge as I inform you on what has happened."

"And what has befallen?" Queen Drosera asked calmly.

"The traitor Rugosum is leading the Galindrian armies, he has killed the late King Phaseolus and has taken his place as the King of Galingale." he said.

Rose's eyes widened and she doubt she was the only one. Rugosum was the Icarian who tried to overthrow Rose's father, King Daniel from the thrown. He was the one who had killed her father, but her mother had assumed herself to rule Icarus after his death. After all, the Icarii blood ran through her veins and she could assume power rightfully since King Daniel was a lord from a different land. Unfortunately Rugosum had managed to escape into Galingale, a neighboring country that had troubles with Icarus at the time. Through a series of complicated events Galingale and Icarus soon came to war. It wasn't shocking with the circumstances that war would come to pass, but word soon got Icarus that Rugosum, the slayer of their king, had become Phaseolus's head advisor. No doubt whispering evil in the avaricious king's ears. But now Rugosum was the king, he'd killed Phaseolus to gain the crown.

"But that isn't the worst news yet." Lord Garuda growled, smashing his fist on the table. "Galingale had formed an alliance with Berenices."

"The sand dwellers from the west?" Maiden Avis, who had remained quiet until now, snapped in shock. She paused as she looked at the map on the table, her eyes widening. "That snake! The First Talon are all on our northern border leaving our western flank exposed!" she bellowed, standing up in outrage.

"The Maidens of the TalonSpear have stayed in Icarus to protect the throne if the First Talon should fail, but with the allied Berenicians it seems we must send the TalonSpear Maidens to protect our borders." Lord Garuda said seriously as he made a steeple with his hands.

"Are you telling me to leave the royal Icarii line susceptible to an attack?!" Maiden Avis roared as she motioned to Rose, Alyss and their mother with her hand, but she directed her lashing on Lord Garuda.

Lord Garuda gave her a shocked look. "Of course not! On the arrival of the news I sent half of my remaining cavalry to protect the western border! I'm not a fool! I'm saying your Maidens of the TalonSpear should fight alongside my men on both borders spread equally! I have also brought with me a unit of my men to protect the Icarii line!" he growled as he stood up as well to gain some dignity as he was face to face with the tall woman.

"Lord Garuda, Maiden Avis, calm yourselves." sharpness underlay Queen Drosera's voice, causing the two to immediately snap their jaws shut. They both sat down again in their seats but didn't look ashamed for what they'd said or that they had raised their voice in the Queen's presence, much less the Daughter-heir. Rose kept quiet, but she shot a look at Alyss and saw she was staring at the map worriedly.

"Rosaria, Alyssum." Rose's head shot up to look at her mother when her name was called. "I think it is about time the two of your retire to your rooms. It has become late and you will have a busy day tomorrow." her mother said calmly, her brown eyes boring into her grey ones.

Rose nodded. "Yes, mother." she said simply as she stood from her seat, Alyss stood to follow. "Excuse us." she said as they made their way out of the Assembly Hall. She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder to see who's eyes she felt boring into her back as they left, but as she closed the door behind them, she got a glimpse of Maiden Avis's blue hawk eyes staring straight at her.

Once out of the room Alyss gave out a sigh. "War is awful," she breathed.

Rose nodded as they started to walked away toward their rooms.

* * *

At midnight Rose woke up to the sound of people running up and down the hallway outside her room. She rubbed her eye drowsily as she started to make her way out of her silk sheets, slipping on a pair of pastel blue slippers before heading to the door, never minding that she was only wearing her cream colored nightdress and her hair was still held up in tight curls under her blue nightcap that matched her slippers.

She was only two steps from the door when it suddenly slammed open, fully waking her up. Maiden Avis stood at the doorway followed by two other TalonSpear Maidens and Alyss in her nightdress and a cloth bundle in her arms. From Maiden Avis's soft, laced knee-high boots to the cloth wrapped loosely around her neck, her clothes were all in shades of brown or green that would blend into shrub or forest. The end of a short horn bow peeked over her shoulder, and a quiver bristled with arrows at her belt at one side. A long knife hung at the other. In her left hand she gripped a round hide buckler and three short spears, no more than half as long as she was tall, with points fully as long as lances.

"Pack some clothes, we have no time to lose." she demanded as she hurriedly walked to Rose's drawers and started to pull out some clothes.

"What happened?" she asked as she went to help her.

"That bastard snake!" Maiden Avis cursed as she packed. "I don't know how he did it unseen, but Rugosum managed to bring an army of Galindrians and Berenicians into our borders. Maidens and Garuda's pitiful cavalry are holding off the invading force from breeching Icarus, we have to get the royal line out of here to the safeplace hidden in the mountain."

Rose nodded as she wrapped her belonging with her silk sheet in a makeshift sack. She winced as she heard a bloodcurdling scream muffled by the glass windowpane. Maiden Avis snuck up the window and peaked out through a crack in the curtains. She quickly turned back and herded Rose and Alyss out of the room cursing loudly.

"We have to get you out of here, they're advancing at an alarming rate!" she growled as she lead them sprinting down the hall, the other two TalonSpear Maidens bringing up the back.

Rose struggled to keep up with the powerfully build woman, but she managed as fear coursed through her. She glanced at Alyss and saw the surprised terror that she probably mirrored. The increasing screams in the floors below them kept them from tiring. It was then that Rose suddenly remembered her book. The book that was created the day of her birth that prophesized her future and the future of Icarus. She gasped and stopped, making Maiden Avis growl as she stopped as well.

"What the hell are you doing girl?!"

Rose ignored her and began to run toward the library. If that book got in the wrong hands they could learn what was to happen! She had to get it.

"Rose!" Alyss cried after her, but she ignored her as well.

* * *

Avis growled in frustration as she saw the Daughter-heir run off into a different hallway. She quickly turned to the other two TalonSpear Maidens. "You two, protect Lady Alyssum with your lives, make sure she reaches the safeplace without harm."

"What about Rose?!" Alyssum protested.

Avis blinked, so the girl did have some fire in her. "I'll protect her." she promised firmly before turning back the Maidens. "Hurry! And if I don't join you, take care of your Daughter-heir."

Alyssum gasped. "No!" she screamed as the Maidens herded her on.

Avis ignored her and ran off to follow Rosaria. There would we only one place that girl would run off to at a time like this. The library, but knowing Rugosum, he already knew that. She just hoped she wasn't too late.

* * *

Rose panted as she ran toward the door to the hallway, avoiding to look out at the death through the windows. She barged into the room, skidding to an abrupt stop as she saw there was a man in the center of the room leafing through the vellum pages of her black leather-bound book. He paused once he noticed her, slowly turning to look at her. Even though the moonlight through the window was weak, Rose could see his yellow eyes, glossy with insanity. She froze under his gaze like a mouse cornered by a snake.

"Hello there child," he said slowly as he started to advance toward her. "And who might you be?"

A snake! Her eyes widened as she remembered Maiden Avis's main insult for Rugosum. His eyes, like a snake, watched her as he languidly took steps toward her.

"Girl!"

Rose blinked and broke eye contact with the man, releasing her from her daze. She hurriedly turned to run away when she bumped into Maiden Avis.

"What the hell is wrong with you g-" she was cut off as her gaze landed on Rugosum in the room. She immediately put herself in between Rose and the man and smirked. "So you came here in person did you?" she said cockily.

The man began to chuckle. "Well, well, well. If it isn't little Kukui, last I remember, you were still a child training with your first spear." he said as if reuniting with an old friend as he paused.

Rose's eyes widened. It was true that TalonSpear Maidens changed their names once they reached higher ranks, but she'd never know Avis's real name was Kukui.

"I'm head Maiden Avis TalonSpear now, you snake. Got that memorized?" Maiden Avis replied as she stood relaxed in front of Rose, though she had the feeling she was ready to pounce like always.

Rugosum gave a flourished mock bow. "It's an honor to meet the head Maiden of the TalonSpear." he said mockingly, making Maiden Avis growl.

"I'm surprised you hadn't sent your snake-bitch Anjou to do this for you." Maiden Avis grit out. Rose was surprised she hadn't attacked him yet.

"That pawn is long dead," he said dismissingly.

"Pawn eh?" Maiden Avis asked. "Tell me, what were you planning to do with me if I had joined you?"

If Rose's eyes could have widened anymore they would have.

"Are you offering your assistance?" Rugosum asked, his eyes flashing.

Maiden Avis snorted. "No," she said as it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "I'm just curious."

Rugosum looked down at the book in his hands, running a pale hand on the cover, long black hair hiding his eyes from view. "It's funny. Events there are similar to here, yet different. Some people there die while the ones here stay, but if one dies here, they die there. There are even people who will never be born there and are here. And some who are on both sides…" he said as he stroked the book.

"What the hell are you mumbling about?" Maiden Avis growled.

"That book," Rose whispered to Maiden Avis. "It was written the day I was born. It's a prophecy about me-the prophet had said the babe was born on the full moon night of Rose-month. He also said something about a leaf, or I am told, but he was half delirious with death when he finished."

Maiden Avis nodded. "The future of your reign is written in that book." she accepted. "We can't possibly let that snake have it."

Rose resisted the urge to tell her she didn't know anything about the prophecy besides what she told her, but instead she nodded. She didn't want Rugosum to have that book.

Without a warning Maiden Avis leaped at Rugosum, aiming her longest spear at the space between his eyes. Rose clenched her eyes, not wanting to see. A sudden clang as metal met metal made her open them again only to see Maiden Avis flung against a wall, a blue sword now in Rugosum's free hand.

"Maiden Avis!"

* * *

Screams fill the air as the group ran down the carcass-filled streets. The man at the lead had black spiky hair and dark brown eyes which contrasted with the man and woman behind him. The black haired man was Salix, the carnation haired woman was Caprea, the babe in her arms Dianthus, and her brunet husband who ran beside her Frondrick. Salix slowed down slightly as he saw that Caprea had started to lag behind.

"I'll carry Dianthus," he said offering to take the child from her arms. She nodded as she stopped and handed him the small pink haired baby girl.

"And I'll carry you," Frondrick said, scooping up his wife with his strong arms, ignoring her protests as they continued their run.

As they rounded another corner they skidded to a halt as they saw a man standing in the middle of the street covered in blood, his dark blade slick with dripping rubies.

"Good lord." Salix mumbled hoarsely as he saw the man start to approach them. He couldn't distinguish if the man's hair was red or if it was the blood, but the glossy sheen of his dark green eyes sent his survival instincts going haywire. He turned to Frondrick who was frozen in shock as well. "Run! Run you fool!" he yelled as he roughly shook his arm to get him going.

* * *

"You bastard!" Maiden Avis roared as she charged Rugosum.

Her spear met his blade in sparks before they jumped apart from each other, keeping a good distance apart.

"Do you really think you can defeat me?" Rugosum snarled.

"What are you stalling?" Maiden Avis growled as she charged again.

Rugosum blocked her again with his sword, but Maiden Avis quickly pulled out her long knife with her free hand and swung it toward his neck.

* * *

Garuda hacked his way through his enemies as he skillfully cleaned the street of invaders. He faintly wondered why these Galindrians were weaker than the ones who fought in the borderlands. With one strike they fell at his blade!

Once the street was cleared he ran to stop the others who had gone on ahead. As he turned the corner onto another bloodied street he tensed as he saw a group of people headed toward him. He relaxed once he saw there were mere peasants. The man, who was barely above a boy ran at the lead with a small bundle in his arms which Garuda quickly distinguished as a babe. An older brunet man with a scar across his nose followed behind him with a strange haired woman in his arms. They quickly stopped once they spotted him, their eyes wide, but relief washed over their features once they saw the three prong claw insignia on the breastplate his armor which indicated him from the First Talon.

"Sir Talon," the younger man quickly panted, catching his breath. "Please, we're being chased by one of the invaders."

Garuda nodded. "Head for the safeplace in the mountains, I'll deal with this bastard." he growled.

The man nodded before the group ran off headed toward the mountain that loomed over Icarus on its eastern side protectively. Garuda stood his ground as he saw the man who rounded the corner toward him. He immediately knew this man wasn't a Galandrian, but a Berenician. He immediately tightened his grip on the heron marked hilt of his sword as he saw the man's bloodied blade had a heron as well. This man looked no older than the one who'd just passed by, but he was already a blademaster. Garuda smirked. This would be interesting. He would see if this young man really was worthy of a heron marked blade.

* * *

Drosera coughed out blood as the knife slit her throat. Her attacker from behind released her golden hair, her limp body crumpled to the ground. He smirked and pushed his glasses up. Things were going smoothly as planned…

* * *

Rugosum jumped back to avoid the her blade. She growled in frustration and kept her charge, careful not to harm the book. Her barrage with blade and spears were either dodged or blocked by Rugosum's own blade until Avis jumped back from him, calculating her next move. The library was now in ruins, bookshelves overturned, tables smashed, books, scrolls, and loose parchment littered the floor. Avis glanced at the window. It was the fourth floor, no one could possibly survive…

"You aren't thinking about throwing me out the window are you?" Rugosum chuckled slyly as he followed her gaze.

Avis glared at him hotly. "Actually, I'm bored of fighting someone handicapped by a book." she said, eyeing the black leather-bound book in his arm.

He chuckled, making Avis think of black oil and mildew. He set the book down on the only table which surprisingly wasn't broken yet. "No more handicaps." he said tauntingly.

"Now more handicaps." Avis agreed firmly as she readied herself in a battle stance which focused defense as the best offense.

"Not going to charge like the little hothead anymore Kukui?" he mocked as he readied himself as well.

Avis repressed a growl. That bastard snake would die by her hand, a thrill coursed through her sating her anger at the thought. She had him right where she wanted him and he didn't even know it. "I'm done playing games you snake. Come at me with your all because I doubt you'll live. Die with some honor as a swordsman because the Mother will not except your filthy corpse for her soil in the afterlife." she said venomously, her face blank.

"I'm terrified." he chuckled mockingly before he charged at her.

Avis smirked. Just as planned, the cocky bastard.

* * *

Rose's eyes widened as she saw Rugosum set down his book on the table. She hid in the hallway behind the wall beside the library entrance. It seemed like Maiden Avis and Rugosum had forgotten about her during their fight, if only she could get to the book without them noticing her. She winced as she heard a very high-pitched scream break through the constant chorus of screams in Icarus. She clenched her fists at her sides. Rugosum had no right! He had no right to kill her father. He had no right to kill Phaseolus, even if he deserved it. He had no right to take her book. He didn't even have the right to touch it, much less read it. He didn't have the right to anything! He was a bastard, snake, traitor! A low snarl passed her lips. It took her a moment to realize there were tears running down her cheeks, but she ignored them.

Rugosum would not get away with this.

Immediately as the thought crossed her mind did a sudden bolt of pain blossomed, low and deep and bone-jarring grow between her shoulder blades. As her muscles popped, sinews crackled, and then the pain vanished. She opened her eyes again to see white feathers. Her eyes widened at the sight of wings wrapped around her protectively. In wonder Rose tried to move one, immediately shocked by how easy it was. It was like an extra limb, long feathered arms attached to her back that were as long as she was tall. She'd heard legends of the first royal Icarii to come to this land had wings, but she never thought it was true. She reached out with her hand and touched one of her wings. Her white feathers felt like the softest of silks, but were as tough as the strongest hides.

Her awe was cut short as the sound of blade striking flesh met her ears. She quickly turned to look into the room to see Maiden Avis's long knife sticking out from the top of Rugosum's head. She still held the hilt underneath his chin. Rose resisted the low churning in her stomach as Maiden Avis pulled her knife out of his head, making his corpse fall to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Maiden Avis!" Rose called as she saw the warrior woman wipe her blade on Rugosum's clothes. She immediately ran into the room, shocking the woman at the sight of her wings.

"Wings…" she whispered as she saw the white feathered appendages on her back.

Rose fidgeted under her wondering stare. "They appeared…I don't know how…"she explained, feeling foolish.

Maiden Avis swallowed and nodded, composing herself. "So the legends were true. It just adds one more thing which proves you're meant for greatness Lady Rosaria." she said formally.

Rose blinked. Maiden Avis only act so formal with her mother, the queen. Rose quickly dismissed it as she saw the book on the only whole table. She dashed for the tabled, stepping over rubble and avoiding Rugosum's corpse at all costs. She scooped up the book in her arms, glad Rugosum was dead so now he'd never have it.

"Thank you Maiden Avis," she cried as she hugged the book close to her. Maiden Avis chuckled, but said nothing.

Unnoticed by the two, a small white snake slithered out of Rugosum's open mouth, quickly disappearing in the rubble.

* * *

Sparks danced from their blades as they struck again and again. The young man blocked each blow, his face tight with concentration. But Garuda could tell that he was tiring. The relentless hammering continued as each sought an opening in the other's defenses. With a sudden burst of speed, Garuda felt the battle change. Blow by blow ha gained advantage. His opponent's parries slowed and he lost ground. Garuda easily blocked a stab from him. He grinned and swung his sword faster than ever, weaving a web of steel around the man's sword until finally, he smashed the flat of his blade against his guard and knocked the sword to the ground. Before the man could react, Garuda flicked his sword to his throat.

They stood panting, his sword's tip rested on the man's collar. Garuda carefully watched the man's face. He held no fear and stood accepting death. "You fought well." Garuda commented, making the man's eyes widen in surprise. "Few have lasted this long without severe injury, yet you've remained unscathed." he continued. "What is your name?" he asked finally.

"Lacerta." he answered.

Garuda nodded. "Named after the lizard or constellation?" he asked, not really caring. It would be a shame to kill such a skilled swordsman at such a young age.

Lacerta smiled bitterly. "I wouldn't know. My mother died the night I was born."

It would be a real shame. "And why have you come to help Rugosum's invasion?" he interrogated.

"Orders." he replied simply as if the blade to his neck wasn't really there.

"That's enough Lacerta."

Garuda turned his attention to a woman at the end of the street. She wore a simple grey cotton shirt and black breeches. Her blond hair was cut shot and tied back in a low ponytail, her green eyes flashed dangerously. The only sight of blood on her was on her twin blades which she held in each hand like an extension of her arms.

"Tamarix." Lacerta said turning his head as far he could without cutting himself with the sword on his throat.

Garuda tensed as he saw that the woman, who was obviously a Berenician by her looks, had heron marks on the hilts of her blades. Another young blademaster from Berenices, though she looked a couple of years older than Lacerta.

The woman scoffed. "I am not here to fight you Sir Talon. Orders are for _all_ Berenicians to retreat. The alliance between Berenices and Galingale has been broken." she said, emphasizing all.

Garuda nodded. The Berenicians weren't part of the invasion anymore. Garuda slowly lowered his arm and backed away.

Lacerta smiled at him gratefully. "I thank you Sir Talon, I would not have wanted my sister to have seen my death displayed before her. Maybe one day we will fight again, hopefully under different circumstances."

Garuda nodded. "I am Garuda Talon, so if you're ever in Icarus it won't be hard to find me. I would like to spar with you again Lacerta." he said grinning.

Lacerta merely chuckled. "A spar? Is that what you call it?" he mumbled before he ran toward Tamarix, grabbing his sword from the floor on his way.

Garuda watched Tamarix hit Lacerta over the head, berating him on his idiocy. He chuckled, but was cut short as a man ran past him from behind toward the two Berencians from the opposite side of the street, a long bow held tightly in his fist. The brunet wore all black, and looked very similar to both Tamarix and Lacerta.

Garuda smirked. So he had been surrounded the whole time? Was he glad he'd agreed to let Lacerta live because he doubt he would have if he didn't. A bow like that could make an arrow pierce armor!

Garuda was just about to go hunt for the Galindrians when Tamarix spoke. "The Galindrians were last headed toward the mountain, I suggest you head there if you want to protect Icarus." she said.

Garuda nodded and started toward the mountain. If the Galindrians knew about the safeplace, then they knew where the royal Icarii line hid, he just wished he wasn't too late.

* * *

Alyss crawled through the small tunnel carved into the rock that was barely big enough for one person to crawl through at a time. Maiden Cyta crawled up ahead of her and Maiden Accipiter behind. Her nightdress was filthy with dirt and she'd lost her belongings and nightcap during the confusion and her blond hair was a mess and hung, framing her face. But she didn't care. Her mind gnawed with worry for Rose. Why did that idiot have to run away? She could be killed out there!

They were almost out of the tunnel when Maiden Cyta suddenly gasped. She ran out of the tunnel into the cave. Alyss made to follow, but Maiden Accipiter grabbed the end of her nightdress. "Wait!" she hissed, barely loud enough for Alyss to hear. Alyss nodded and waited quietly, wondering what Maiden Cyta could have seen in there.

"Queen Drosera is dead!" Alyss heard Maiden Cyta wail. Her eyes widened as she ran out of the tunnel, Maiden Accipiter behind her.

In the cavern room Alyss saw her mother's body lying lifeless on the ground, her face contorted in the last shock of her life. Her knees went weak and her vision blurred. She let out a agonizing scream and it took her a moment to realized that Maiden Accipiter held her from running out of the tunnel with one of her spears in her hand. She hadn't realized she'd ever gotten the Maiden's spear, but she still fought against the strong woman's grip. Finally with one final tug she gave in, falling to her knees. Her sobs could be heard echoing throughout the maze caverns of the mountain safeplace.

* * *

Salix looked up at the darkness and stalactites that surrounded the cavern ceiling. He sat huddled with Caprea and Frondrick around a small campfire. Caprea was breastfeeding Dianthus and Frondrick wrapped a makeshift bandage made of his sleeve around the nasty gash he'd gotten on his arm while he defended Caprea from a stray arrow. Other than that they were all fine, a little battered, but fine nonetheless. Salix looked around the cavern at the other groups of people around small campfires. It seemed like not many people had gotten to the safeplace in time. Some were still out there. He felt slightly guilty at not being able to help the ones still running for their lives as they were before, but he had to protect Caprea and Dianthus.

The mood in the large cavern was dark and solemn. The weeping of a lone woman was the only thing he could hear aside from the crackle of flames. He turned his attention to the woman and immediately recognized her as the woman who ran the flower shop in the center of town. She was pretty thing, with long blonde hair and blue eyes, now puffy and red from crying. If his memory suited him, she'd married only just last year, but there was no sign of her husband. Salix lowered his head, silently morning for him. He was a fine man, he'd talked to him little, but the few time that he had showed he was an earnest man, only thinking of his wife's happiness.

_Peace, let Alyssum and Rosaria be alright,_ he prayed silently as he lay down on the cold floor, his back to the fire and fell asleep.

* * *

Rose beat her wings fiercely, as she avoided an arrow coming straight at her. She looked back at the Galindrian archers who'd been following them for a while now. Maiden Avis ran on the ground beside her, dodging arrows and comfortably keeping up with Rose's strong wings.

"What know?!" she called to her as she saw a dark cloud of arrows headed toward them.

"I'm thinking on it!" Maiden Avis growled as she jumped over a stray corpse on the floor.

Rose glanced back at the approaching arrows, there were too many to dodge. "Well, can you think a little faster?!" she coxed.

"The roofs!" Maiden Avis pointed at the rooftops as she ran. "We must travel by rooftops! The height will give us a leverage!"

Rose nodded and flapped her wings so she'd go up higher until she was flying above the rooftops. Maiden Avis jumped up beside her just as the volley of arrows struck the ground where she had been a second ago. Rose hugged her book to her chest as she flapped her wings to gain speed. She quickly learned how to use them. There was nothing like being chased by an invading army to make someone want to learn something desperately enough.

"We'll never get to the safeplace in time!" Rose cried as she saw the archers start to gain on them.

"Don't be so sure!" Maiden Avis roared as she suddenly stopped and turned toward the archers, unslinging her long bow and knocked three large arrows.

Rose stopped as well. "What are y-"

"Leave me! You must go on yourself! I'll hold off the archers for a while." Maiden Avis said firmly as she aimed her arrows at the oncoming archers below. Rose hesitated. Maiden Avis turned and grinned at her. "Don't worry, I'll meet up with you in a while." she said reassuringly. "I'm not going to let Garuda have all the fun though!" she roared, grinning as she let her arrows whistle through the air.

Rose nodded and flew off toward the mountain.

* * *

Avis smiled bitterly as she saw Lady Rosaria fly off from the corner of her eye. She knocked more arrows, setting her own barrage down toward the archers. She had to keep these guys preoccupied until Lady Rosaria got away. Knock and release, knock and release, she lost herself to the rhythm of her bow as she made the arrows rain down on the archers. She looked up as she knocked her last volley of arrows and saw her nearly to the mountain. She smiled sadly. She did her duty, she protected the Icarii line. She released her last arrows. Her arrows whistled past the oncoming dark cloud of arrows from the remaining archers. She closed her eyes, a lone tear slipped down her cheek before she was hit by the arrows. She really had wished to live for just a bit longer, just so she could tell Höfn she loved him.

* * *

Salix woke up to the sound of screaming. He quickly got to his feet and took out a dagger from his boot. The Galindrians had gotten into the safeplace! He looked around desperately as he saw Caprea and Frondrick weren't near him. Everyone was running around desperately in a confused chaos as the Galindrians hacked their way through the room.

Keeping a level head, Salix searched for Caprea and Frondrick in the crowd. He quickly spotted Caprea's pink locks and ran toward her, dodging Galindrians on the way. His eyes widened as he saw a Galindian invader bring his sword up as he made to deal the killing blow to Caprea, who dropped to her knees and huddled protectively over Dianthus. Salix growled and charged the soldier, dagger in hand poised straight to his heart.

With a sickening _sthwump_, time seemed to freeze as he saw his dagger in the man's heart. The man doubled over dead, his eyes staring our lifelessly. Salix coughed out blood as he dropped to his knees, his hand slowly going to the warm liquid seeping out of his shoulder and chest. The Galindrian's sword had sliced through his shoulder and pierced his heart. Disgusted by the metal still in his body, Salix gripped the blade, cutting his hand in the process as he quickly pulled out the blade. He fell back onto the ground, content he hadn't died with the blade in his chest.

Caprea's screams became distant as he closed his eyes. He protected her the best he could, he hoped she could understand that.

* * *

Rose looked at the mountain which was only a few feet away and smiled tiredly. She'd made it.

She didn't have time to celebrate his achievement as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. Her wings faltered but she quickly flapped her wings to keep airborne. She clenched her eyes and tightened her grip on her book so she wouldn't drop it. When she opened her eyes again, her dizziness hadn't worn off. She tried her best to ignore it as she made to keep on going, but her wings suddenly gave out. She tried to make them keep moving, but they wouldn't respond. Panic gripped her as she desperately tried to make them move, the ground coming closer as the seconds passed. She was only a few feet from the ground when a suddenly flash of light erupted from the book which could be seen everywhere in Icarus like a beacon before her vision faded into swirling darkness.


	2. Where is here?

**Miss Take, Miss Fortune, and Sir Prize**

_Chapter 1:_

_Where is here?_

"_Hey! Hey, wake up!" Alyss yelled grinning as she looked down at her._

_Rose blinked and looked around in confusion and saw she was lying down in a grassy meadow. She sat up, rubbing the back of her head were she was lying her head on a gnarled root._

Was…Was all that a dream?_ she thought in confusion._

"_That's a weird place to sleep…" Alyss said obnoxiously as she pointing down at the floor, grinning idiotically._

_Rose frowned. "And you're a woolheaded lummox!" she retorted. _

_Alyss blinked before sitting down. "Well that's a new insult I've never heard before." she said cheerfully as she sat down. _

_It took Rose a moment to realize Alyss had her book. She gave her a questioning look. "What are you doing with my book Alyss?" she asked cocking her head._

_Alyss gave her a confused look. "Alyss? _W_h_a_t'_r_e _y_o_u_ t_a_l_k_i_n_g _about? Do I look like a girl to you?" she said as her voice changed.

Rose blinked repeatedly as she saw Alyss's image fade to a blond spiky haired man with blue eyes. She rubbed her eyes in shock and saw that he was still there, staring at her in confusion. Rose gaped for a second before blushing in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I must have hit my head too hard." she said as she put her hand to her head, feeling the oncoming migraine. She mentally sighed as she felt the silver filigree circlet on her head. She looked down at her clothes and saw the clothes she was wearing earlier before the dream started.

"Are you ok?" he asked with concern in his eyes. "Do you think you need to see a medic? One of my friends is a great medic, I'm sure she can help you."

Rose shook her head. "No, no I'm fine. I'm just getting over a bad dream." she mumbled.

The man nodded. "Here's you're book, I found it next you." he said as he handed her the book.

"Thank you." she said taking the book gratefully.

"I-I didn't read it or anything." he blurt out, his face flush, making the three scars on both his cheeks more prominent.

Rose chuckled. "I doubt you could if you tried," she said, smiling.

He gave her a confused look.. "Why not?"

"This." She opened the book to a random page and showed it to him. The script was curved and exotic and seemed to flow into one another. Whoever had written this had used inks of vivid hues, and gold and silver paints glittered among the rainbow enamels of the letters. Overall, the script was beautiful, but not legible to anyone who hadn't spent hours staring at it, trying to figure out what it said and meant.

"Oh." he said blankly.

Rose smiled, she could already tell she liked this guy. "I'm Rosaria al'Icarii." she introduced. "But you can call me Rose."

"I'm Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki." he said grinning.

Rose blinked. "You're not from here are you?" she asked.

Everyone in Icarus knew who she was and his name certainly didn't sound like the usual name in Icarus. Almost everyone is named after plants, except for the two divisions of militia who change their names to birds in honor of the legend which said the founder of Icarus was a man with wings who could control plants.

Naruto gave her a confused look. "What do you mean? I've always lived here."

"But you can't have always been here," she protested. "No one in Icarus has such a name!"

"Icarus?" he asked, confusion plain on his face. "Where's that?"

Rose gaped openly. "Where is here?" she asked desperately.

"You're in training field 38 in Kohonagakure." he said giving her concerned look. "You sure you're ok? I think you really should see a medic, you probably hit your head too hard."

Rose ignored him and tried to remember what happened. The last thing she could remember was that flash of light when her wings gave out. She looked over her shoulder just in case, but she saw no wings. How could something like that disappear? She hugged her book to her chest. But then how could she explain the book in her hands? She'd heard of magic items that could teleport people before, but she'd just dismissed as even more foolish than the legend of the Icarus founder.

Her frown deepened as she looked down at the black leather-bound book. She wished Salix were here. He'd know what to do.

* * *

Salix groaned as he felt a wet cloth being dabbed over his shoulder. He shuddered as he felt a cold hand on his forehead. He struggled to open his eyelids, but they felt as heavy as lead. He groaned in pain again as the cloth dabbed a sore spot on his shoulder. He faintly wondered if death was supposed to be so painful, or if hell was supposed to be gentle as the cold hands started to softly rub an ointment on his shoulder. He tried to open his eyes again, but gave up when he proved to weak to. He decided to try speaking and gathered up the energy as the cold hands started to gently, yet efficiently to wrap his shoulder with bandages.

His tongue felt thick and his mind was hazy, but he manage the words to a simple question. "Who are you?" he asked weakly.

The hands halted bandaging him for a second before continuing. "My name is of no importance." a male voice replied.

"Probably not, but I'd like to thank whoever's helping me properly." Salix slurred, struggling to sound casual, but sounded pained either way.

"Itachi." the man said after a hesitant pause.

"Thank you Itachi." he mumbled as he lost consciousness again.

* * *

"You fucking snake bastard!" Avis screamed as she sat up panting. A trail of sweat coated her forehead. She looked around the room she was in curiously. It seemed like a hospital, with its bleached white walls and immaculately clean cot. She let out a sigh of relief as she realized she was only dreaming that Rugosum had come back to life and was seeking revenge.

Avis groaned in pain as she slowly swung her feet off the bed. She was wearing strange white clothes over the bandages all over her body where she had been struck by the arrows. She ignored the pain a she lowered herself from the cot, her bare feet meeting the cold floor and she shivered. She took a few steps for the door, mentally telling herself she'd felt worse before. It only felt like she'd rolled down a rocky hill, beaten repeatedly by a sledgehammer, and then hit by a runaway cart full of the cabbages, which had all happened to her in the past all on the same day. Of course she had released her anger of her bad luck on Garuda when he tried to make fun of her, but this time she seemed to be one idiotic Sir Talon short.

Before she could open the door, a female voice spoke from behind her. "Where are you going?"

Avis quickly spun around, poised and ready to attack whoever had snuck up behind her. Her gaze met a blue haired woman with a white paper flower in her hair. She wore a strange black cloak with red clouds, had a piercing on her lower lip and wore excessive makeup. Avis mentally told herself she'd seen weirder opponents, but she couldn't think of any at the moment, all she knew was that this woman wasn't in the room when she'd woken up.

"Who are you?" she growled, ignoring her previous question. Her cold blank eyes really pissed her off…


	3. Identity Confusion

**Miss Take, Miss Fortune, and Sir Prize**

_Chapter2:_

_Identity Confusion_

A dull throbbing roused Salix. Every time blood pulsed through his head it brought a fresh wave of pain. He cracked his eyes open and winced, tears rushed to his eyes as he looked directly into a bright lantern. He blinked and looked away. When he tried to sit up, he realized there was slight weight on his arm. A man with black hair tied back in a ponytail sat on a chair beside the bed Salix lay on, but it seemed like he had fallen asleep because he sure found Salix's arm as a good pillow. Salix figured he was Itachi. He inspected him curiously, he wore a weird black cloak with red clouds and he couldn't tell anything else about what he wore because of it. Itachi had deep lines in his cheeks from obvious lack of sleep, making Salix wonder if Itachi might suffer from insomnia. Other than the insomnia, Itachi looked young, maybe around 18 years and probably one of the most beautiful men he's ever seen.

Salix's face flushed at the last thought. He'd always known he was different, ever since he was little, but his preference wasn't something widely celebrated in Icarus so he mostly kept it a secret. Except for Caprea, nothing could be kept from her even if he tried. Salix looked away from Itachi to look at the room he was in. It was a strange room, the walls all seemed to be carved out roughly of limestone that even the ceiling had remnants of stalactites. The only furniture in the room was a the bed he lay on, the chair Itachi sat on, a small drawer for clothes beside the bed, and a small table against one of the walls with a neat pile of scrolls on top. There was also a wooden door leading out which looked slightly out of place in a cave-made room, but at the same time fitting.

He looked down at his bandaged shoulder. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and besides his black breeches, he only had a cotton blanket as a cover. It took all his willpower to keep from blushing again.

Salix jumped when the door suddenly slammed open and a girl with blond hair over her left eye and blue eyes walked in. Salix could have sworn she was twins with the flower vendor in Icarus. She also wore the strange cloak Itachi wore which distinguished her figure.

"Itachi! Have you seen Tobi yeah?! That little bastard switched my clay for bubblegum un!" she growled, though her voice sounded male.

Salix blinked and looked closely and his eyes widened. _She_ was a _he_!

He blinked once he spotted Salix. "Who are you un?"

Before Salix could answer, Itachi groaned mumbling in his sleep. "…I dropped your muffin on the floor…"

The blond snickered. "I wonder what he's dreaming about un…" he said mostly to himself before turning back to Salix. "I'm Deidara yeah."

"I'm Salix." he replied uncertainty.

"You hungry un?" Deidara asked. "I saw Itachi come here with you about four days ago un. I doubt you've eaten much in your sleep yeah."

Salix nodded as he realized he was hungry. "Four days?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Itachi made everyone go crazy trying to heal you un. You're lucky Kakuzu was here and not on some bounty hunt or else you'd probably be dead because of your wound yeah. How'd you end up on the streets with your shoulder sliced open anyway yeah? And how do you know Itachi un? He wouldn't do this for just anyone yeah."

"Kakuzu?" Salix asked curiously.

Deidara waved his question off. "You'll meet him later when he comes to replace your stitches un. Answer my questions first yeah."

Salix shot Itachi's sleeping form an uneasy look. He wouldn't want to wake Itachi up after helping him recover for the past four days. Deidara rolled his visible blue eye and sighed as if reading his mind.

"Fine, but you have to answer me once we're out of here." he said, flipping his hair back girlishly.

Salix nodded and carefully got out of bed so he wouldn't overexert himself or wake Itachi with Deidara's help.

Once they were out of the room Deidara started his interrogation. "So how do you know Itachi un?" he asked as he started to walk down a dimly lit cave hallway, lined with doors on either side.

Salix followed him, only a step behind. "I don't." he confessed. "I only met him once he brought me here."

Deidara gave him a disbelieving look, but continued. "Uh-huh. So how'd you almost get killed un?"

Salix blinked at his bluntness. "Someone tried to cut me in half." he smirked and said just as bluntly.

Deidara grinned. "No shit Captain Obvious, why don't you try jumping off a cliff to see if you can fly yeah. Geez, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're Itachi's brother un." he replied sarcastically. "No, I mean who tried to 'cut you in half' and why un."

Salix shrugged, but immediately regretted it as a sudden wave of pain erupted from his left shoulder.

"Oi, watch it, if you reopen that Itachi's going to blame me yeah." Deidara said.

Salix nodded and continue to follow Deidara silently as he fingered the bandages on his shoulder thoughtfully.

* * *

Rose looked around the immaculately clean room curiously. She sat on the cot with clean white sheets, her dangling feet made her conscious of how short she really was. She looked out the open window and saw a crow fly off in the clear blue sky. Rose looked down at her book on her lap quickly, crows were an ominous sign. She heaved a sigh as she looked at the wall directly in front of her. Naruto had brought her here from the training grounds saying she must have hit her head. Rose frowned. The village they'd gone through looked very similar to Icarus, yet it obviously wasn't. Her ears perked up as she heard voices approaching the room. She directed her gaze to the door and waited carefully.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I think she hit her head too hard."

"Well I better go see if she's ok."

The door slid open and a woman with short pink hair walked in. Rose's eyes widened as she recognized her immediately.

"Caprea!" she cried happily as she ran up and hugged her, catching her off guard. "I'm so glad you're ok! I was worried you might have been hurt during the invasion from that snake!"

The woman in her arms tensed. Rose looked up confused, Caprea would have been happy to see her and should have hugged her by now. She smiled and misinterpreted her shocked face as relief. "So where's your babe?" she asked looking around as if Frondrick were to suddenly come in with a babe in his arms. "Alyss thinks your babe is a girl, is it tr…"Rose's voice trailed off as the woman put her hands on her shoulders and she truly paid attention to her appearance.

She looked very similar to Caprea, her hair was a rosy shade, yet hers was lighter and shorter. Her green eyes were clearer too, unlike Caprea's dark green. She also wore strange clothes too, nothing like what Caprea wore. "Who are you?" Rose managed, though her voice quavered. "You're not Caprea."

The woman gave her a pleasant smile. "I'm Sakura Haruno." she said as she took her hands off her shoulders. "It's nice to meet you."

Rose looked at her curiously. "I'm Rosaria al'Icarii, but you can call me Rose." she mumbled numbly.

"You don't look too bad, can I look at your head? I'm a medic ninja, so you can trust me." she said nicely.

Rose nodded as she sat down on the cot and let Sakura examine her head. It felt strange as a warm tingling feeling surfed over the back of her head. Her gaze slowly drifted to Naruto who stood at the doorway giving her a worried look. "What's a ninja?" she asked, trying to make small talk.

Naruto gave her a surprised look and the tingling feeling in the back of her head suddenly stopped.

* * *

Avis glared at the red cloud on the back of the blue haired woman's back as she followed her through the hallway. She hadn't said anything other than to follow her and then left the room, not even checking if she _would_ follow. Avis's lips twisted with distaste. The woman had lead her through multiple hallways, taking many turns to obviously confuse Avis. The only thing the woman didn't know was that Avis had photographic memory and had already made a mental map of the hallways they'd been too, which, coincidentally, they'd been to this hallway twice already. With another turn, the woman lead Avis toward a flight of stairs, somewhere they hadn't gone to before. Once up the stairs, the woman opened a door which lead to a room that was opened at the end to a sheet of pouring rain. The rest of the room was dark, but a sudden flash of lightning showed a man wearing the same black and red cloak the woman wore and spiky orange hair.

"Who are you?" the man asked as he turned to look at her.

Avis gasped as another flash of lightning showed the multiple piercings on his face and strange ringed eyes. "Thanatos." she whispered before dropping to her knees before him, bowing. "Forgive my impudence Lord Thanatos, for if I had known that this was death, I would not have treated Aggelos as such." she said as she quickly gave a glance at the blue haired woman before looking down at the floor.


	4. Tobi’s Scavenger HuntPart 1

**Miss Take, Miss Fortune, and Sir Prize**

_Chapter3:_

_Tobi's Scavenger Hunt(Part 1)_

Salix chewed his soup slowly as he half listened to Deidara ramble about what he planned to do to Tobi once he found him and half wondered why Itachi would help him. He sat at a long table across from Deidara near the middle, eating some chicken noodle soup Deidara made.

"Just because Zetsu defends him from a lot of things doesn't give that turd the right to exchange my clay for bubblegum yeah! Can you believe that yeah?! Just the other day he switched everyone's shampoo for hair dye un! If I hadn't paid attention I would have purple hair right now yeah! When I get my hands on Tobi, all hell will break loose un! No one, and I mean _no one _messes with my clay un!" Deidara ranted though he was mostly ignored. Salix only nodded or said something when it was needed.

"Have you seen Tobi?!" a man with strange green eyes and wore the weird cloak along with a cloth mask growled as he barged into the dining room.

"You looking for him too un?" Deidara asked apathetically.

The man nodded and took out a note. "Tobi left this note after he somehow managed to steal all my money from my vault."

Deidara gaped as he read the note. Salix only read it curiously as he continued to slurp up his noodles.

_Beat Scavenger Huntmaster Tobi in the greatest scavenger hunt ever! Your money is where it should be. Deidara's clay is hidden in the cookie jar. The cookies are with the jelly beans. Hidan's jelly beans are in a special place. Give Zetsu his favorite snack to get a key. Rule: you can't lose any body parts when you try to guess. With the key you'll open a locked door where Sasori's 'dead meat sacks' are kept. Find a pretty piece of paper in the ribs of a pretty girl named Kauru. Konan wants one just like it. She'll tell you where the should be place is. At the should be place, you'll find a note for further instructions. Have fun! And good luck! __-Tobi_

"What the hell is this supposed to mean un?!" Deidara exclaimed in exasperation.

"It means the only way you'll get your stuff is if you do what he says," Salix said as he slurped up more noodles uncaringly.

The masked man turned his green eyes with black for whites toward him. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Itachi's room, healing?" he asked suspiciously.

Salix took special noticed to Deidara sweat nervously as if he expected the man to turn on him if Salix said anything wrong. He swallowed his soup before answering. "I feel better now, plus I was hungry and Itachi fell asleep so since I haven't eaten in four days I came here where Deidara offered to make me some get well soup." he lied smoothly with some truth so it wasn't necessary a lie, a skill he'd learned from Rose who always said she never lied, just kept some information to herself.

The man nodded while Deidara shot him a grateful look from behind his line of vision. "I'm Kakuzu." the man said.

"Salix," he replied smiling. "I hear you were the one who patched me together again."

"I am," Kakuzu said gruffly as he sat down a seat away from them.

"I thank you." Salix said giving him his most humble smile. "Maybe I can help with the scavenger hunt as a thanks. My little sister used to do this all the time, I know from experience that if you don't do as this Tobi says he'll just forget where he'd left your stuff in the first place and then you'll never get it back."

Salix mentally blinked in surprise as he saw Kakuzu was a little taken back by his thanks and offer as if he hadn't expected him to be nice to him. He suddenly remembered Rose's saying: even Venus flytraps have flowers. He smiled, Rose really was a wonder. He hadn't even noticed how much she'd taught him until now.

Kakuzu nodded. "If you want to, but you can't overexert yourself or else I won't stitch your shoulder up again." he said before getting up. "I better go get Hidan to help, knowing him he'd just go straight to go and try to kill Tobi once he finds out his…er, jellybeans have been stolen." he mumbled as he noticeably restrained a chuckled.

Salix smiled as Kakuzu left the dining room and turned back to his soup. As he was chewing his noodles he noticed how Deidara had kept quiet for sometime now and looked up to see if something was wrong with the blond. Across the table from Salix, Deidara sat gaping at him. "What?" he asked oblivious. "Is there something on my face?"

"How the hell did you do that un?" he asked slowly in amazement.

Salix gave him a confused look. "Do what?"

"'_Do what' _yeah?! Kakuzu still treats me like crap after knowing me for _years_ and he treats you like an old friend!" Deidara exclaimed waving his arms as if it was a sign of the apocalypse.

"Even Venus flytraps have flowers." Salix quoted, restraining a shrug as he began to drink the broth from the bowl.

* * *

Itachi groaned as he sat up on his chair. His eyes widened as he saw that Sasuke wasn't in his bed. He looked around the room in a panic. He shouldn't be out of bed in his condition. Though he was confused why Sasuke hadn't just killed him in his sleep, he left this room to search for him. He better not have gotten himself in trouble, an organization full of criminals wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he got on their nerves.

* * *

Salix walked beside Deidara down the hallway toward Kakuzu's room where they figured he'd be. They were only three doors away from his room when there was suddenly an audible crash and a long string of curses, some of which made Salix blush.

"You'll get used to him." Deidara said as they got to Kakuzu's room and opened the door.

"That fucking retard took my _souls_! They're not fucking jellybeans! They're fucking _souls _you asshole! Jashin is going to fucking _kill_ me! He said I had to fucking look over them! Shit! If Tobi ate one that fucker's dead!" a man with slicked back silver hair, wearing no shirt and only black pants and a pendant around his neck yelled as he got a strange triblade scythe off from against the wall.

"Souls?" Deidara snorted so only Salix could hear as black tentacles wrapped around the cussing, what Salix thought, albino.

Salix only gaped as he saw the tentacles coming from Kakuzu's sleeved cloak, which the cussing albino man wasn't wearing and was shirtless. At least Salix wasn't the only one without one…

"Let me the fuck go! I'll kill you, you bastard!! I'm going to fucking kill you!!"

* * *

Tobi opened the black jar and looked at the jellybeans inside. None were really a bright color like most jellybean, they were mostly all dark enough to be mistaken for being black. He took out one that was a dark red randomly from the others and shrugged as he lifted half of his mask and ate it.

* * *

Salix walked beside Kakuzu as they all walked toward Zetsu's room. Deidara was walking ahead of them angrily as Hidan was being dragged struggling behind the group by Kakuzu's tentacles, which Salix found to be the next best thing since saw the toaster in the kitchen, especially because it covered Hidan's mouth. The two of them were currently decoding what Tobi wanted them to do since this scavenger hunt wasn't in any order.

"So first we go to Zetsu and get a key from him to a room where Sasori keeps his 'dead meat sacks' and in there there's a piece of paper in the ribs of a girl named Kauru." Salix said with his face turning slightly green at the thought. He really had a weak stomach.

"Then we give the paper to Konan and she'll tell us where my money is and there'll be instructions on how to get Hidan's jellybeans and Deidara's clay there too." Kakuzu concluded.

_"Mmf Nmff Nnmphmnf!!"_ Hidan tried to say but was muffled by his gag so everyone ignored him, making him struggle even more against Kakuzu's tentacles.

"Why can't we just skip this and just get Konan to tell us where the hell your money is un?" Deidara growled in irritation.

"Because I'm not telling you were it is until I get my paper flower back." a woman with dark blue hair and excessive makeup said as she walked up from behind Deidara with murder in her eyes.

"Oh, ok un." Deidara said meekly.

Salix laughed as the once angry blond cowered in front of the glowering woman. She turned her attention to him and blinked. "Who are you?" she asked sternly.

Salix smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I'm Salix. I take it you're Konan?"

She blinked, then blinked again before she nodded. "Yeah, I'm Konan. You're the kid Itachi went out of his way to heal." This, Salix mentally noted, wasn't a question, but a statement.

He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Hehe, remind me to thank him again when he wakes up." he chuckled cheerfully. Salix could have sworn he heard Hidan gag…

Konan shot a glare at him, but Kakuzu quickly tightened his hold on Hidan before the blunette could do anything. Hidan choked as he slowly started to turn purple from lack of air and blood circulation. Salix watched in surprise, not really knowing what to do as he saw Kakuzu and Konan turn to him expectantly, ignoring the suffocating Hidan and Deidara shooting him nervous look.

"Erm… so does anyone know what Zetsu's favorite food is?" Salix asked lamely.

"Maybe we should give him Hidan to eat." Deidara said in a half-assed attempt to joke.

Salix's eyes widened in shock.


	5. Icarus

**Neko: wow we almost forgot about this story XD**

**Fox: :/ I'd rather be working on Onigakure but here you go **

**Neko: :| geez Foxy-hime… talk about blunt…**

**Fox: :P**

* * *

**Miss Take, Miss Fortune, and Sir Prize**

_Chapter 4:_

_Icarus_

Lady Alyssum watched with steely eyes as the casket of Queen Drosera descended into the grave. She wore a plain black silk dress and her face and hair was hidden by a black lace veil. At her side stood Lord Garuda as he watched his queen being buried with a forlorn expression. He sighed as he thought about the resent events. During the invasion, Queen Drosera had been murdered while making her escape to the sanctuary, not to mention the sanctuary was attacked as well. No one had been safe and the fact that Rugosum was leading the invasion only made things worse. He planned everything perfectly, even succeeding to get Maiden Avis and Lady Rosaria kidnapped, though Galingale denied it. Many had lost their lives, family, homes, livelihoods. Because of the circumstances, it was only natural for Lady Alyssum to assume her right to become queen since her sister was presumably dead. Lord Garuda did his best to help the young lady through the hard times and it pained him to see her becoming cold, but Icarus needed a strong leader. He sighed and put his black gloved hand on his new Queen's shoulder reassuringly as the dirt was being piled into the grave. He took it as a good sign when she didn't shrug his hand away. It seemed like the only good thing that became of this was that it seemed like Rugosum had been killed in Lady Rosaria's library. He recognized the blade mark and knew it had been Maiden Avis. If only they knew what happened to them…

* * *

Alyss shut the door to her room behind her, locking it in her maid's faces. She wanted to be alone right now. She was all alone now. Her only companions in the whole ordeal were Caprea and Lord Garuda. She fought back tears that threatened to emerge as she thought about all the loved ones she had lost. Her mother, her sister, and Salix…. A lone tear slipped down her cheek as she thought about Salix. She should have told him how she felt. But it was too late for that now, he had been slaughtered like a cattle. She sympathized for Caprea for not only losing her brother in the invasion, her daughter had also been killed. She could only imagine how she felt.

She tore the veil off from her head releasing her long golden locks of hair and her face. She now wore the intricate gold circlet he mother had once worn proudly, the small amethyst tear-shaped stone hung on her forehead. She sat herself silently on her vanity table and looked at herself in the mirror. She was the splitting image of her mother, she thought, except for the tears that stained her face, her mother had never seemed weak. It would almost seem like her mother was assuming her place as queen again. She knew the politics behind all of this, she knew that she would need to marry soon to appear strong for her kingdom, but she couldn't find the heart. Her mother could rule without appearing weak, but she already had half the control when Alyss's father had ruled so there wasn't much to change for her. Alyss was too young, the council of Icarus will probably suggest an assortment of old fat lords for her to marry since they were much more experience in ruling estates, which Alyss had no experience with. Rose was the one who had been taught to rule Icarus, not Alyss. She took off the circlet and let her hair fall loosely into her face as she robotically started to comb her hair. Everything was happening too fast…

She looked up in surprise as she suddenly heard a knock at her door. "Go away, I'll call for you when I need you." she sighed, thinking it was probably her maids.

"I'm sorry, my Queen, but I do wish to speak with you privately." a man's voice came from the other side.

Alyss had to bite her lip to keep herself from growling in frustration. She was a queen now and had to act like one. She mentally wondered how Rose had managed to stay so pleasant when someone directly insulted her. If it was Alyss, she would have thrown her chair at them and then proceed to shout profanities, but now she couldn't do that. It would look bad on her part. She walked up to her door, wiping the tears from her face before unlocking her door. To say she was surprised when she saw Lord Garuda when she opened the door was an understatement.

"Lord Garuda?" she asked in surprise. She glanced outside into the hall and saw no one else was there before she invited him in. He nodded and stepped in, sitting down in one of the chairs which stood beside her tea table which had some fresh tea a maid must have put there before she got to her room earlier. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked courteously though she wished she could have just slam the door in his face like she did to her maids.

He coughed uncomfortable and didn't directly to her, instead his eyes roamed around her room aimlessly. "Um, well you see," he started gruffly. "You must know how unstable your rule on Icarus is now, well, without you mother…" his voice faded, but Alyss understood what he was talking about. She mentally locked up all the pain she felt when someone mentioned her lost family, stored it until she could be alone to release it all.

She gave a curt nod. "I very well see how my rule isn't stable, for the people of Icarus to fully accept be as their queen I will have to marry." she said in a businesslike tone.

Lord Garuda gave her a shocked look before he regained his bearings. "Ah, yes, that's exactly why I had come here to er, talk to you about." he began nervously, but Alyss cut him off.

"Is there something that you want to tell me?" Alyss asked almost impatiently. She didn't want to deal with politics at the moment.

"Ah, well, you see-" he stammered as he looked down at the delicate porcelain tea set on the small table.

"Would you like some tea?" Alyss offered nicely though she would rather be offering him three seconds to spit out whatever the hell he wanted to say before she threw him out of her room. "This is obviously going to take a while, so we might as well get comfortable." she added as her own secret jab to urge him to just spit it out.

He seemed to get the message and gave her a curious look before he looked back down again. "If it's not too much trouble…" he mumbled shyly. Alyss almost dropped the teapot she had already lifted to serve the tea as she realized that Lord Garuda, the head of the First Talon was shrinking beneath her gaze _shyly!_

"It's no trouble at all," she mumbled, slightly disturbed by the situation as she served them both some tea.

"Ah, thank you," Lord Garuda mumbled awkwardly as she gave him his cup before drinking it all. She mentally noted how his hand shook before he set his cup down. He coughed slightly as he realized she was staring at her expectantly. Actually, she hadn't even realized it until he shifted uncomfortably.

"So what did you want to tell me?" she asked after talking a sip from her teacup.

"W-well, i-it's about the m-matter about your marriage…" he stammered.

"What about it?" Alyss asked, her mood souring even more. She really wanted him to leave so she cold be _alone_.

"I-I w-was thinking t-that m-maybe I-I-I c-could just…" he stuttered as his face slowly got red.

"That you could what?" she asked impatiently.

"D-damn it all, Lady Alyssum, you really make it hard on a man when he's trying to find the right words to propose!" Lord Garuda blurt out angrily, only for his eyes to widen a second later after he realized what he had just said.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"I-I'm sorry, I-I'm being too hasty, you r-really should have more time to think about other things…" Lord Garuda stammered hastily as he stood up and made his way out of her room.

Alyss only stared numbly as he closed the door behind him. _Did… did he just propose?! _She asked herself mentally in shock.

* * *

Caprea sobbed into Frondrick's shoulder. She took comfort that his strong arms held her reassuringly. He was the only family member she hadn't lost beside Alyss. Even though Alyss wasn't exactly her sister. She considered her as such. She couldn't stop the guilt that ate away at her as she thought of her brother. She had seen him die before her, _protecting_ her. This brought on another bout of tears. Her daughter had been killed, no matter how much she had tried to protect her, Dianthus had been ripped from her arms cruelly and had been force to watch as they slashed her throat. If Frondrick hadn't stepped in, she would have been killed as well, though at the cost of Frondrick losing three of his fingers and a deep wound on his back that stretched from his lower right shoulder blade to the small of his back. Along with the gash on his arm, he had been bedridden for days now and had only just woken up. He didn't seem like he was ever going to. She didn't know what she would do if he was taken away from her too…

* * *

Maiden Accipiter walked to the barracks of the First Talon. Like the Maidens of the TalonSpear, they too had a piece of Icarus where they had made their own sort of small village within the village where the homes of the First Talon and their family lived. She walked purposefully toward a certain general lived. Though most of the First Talon were at the war, there were some still left to guard Icarus, though the Maidens of the TalonSpear stayed to do just that, Lord Garuda still assigned some to guard the homeland. He'd even brought back some of him men back with him, and thanks to that Icarus was faring better than they would have without them. But she was here to visit someone, to relay a message she thought that this man deserved to know. He was a general, one who had stayed here when the First Talon first went to war. He had helped plan strategies for the war and had spent many hours with Maiden Avis working on strategies for when the Maidens of the TalonSpear were needed in the war against Galingale.

But even though part of the message was to tell him that she had been assigned the temporary head of the TalonSpear Maidens-that is until Maiden Avis was found since she was one of the few who believed she was still alive-it was also to tell him the truth about Maiden Avis. Accipiter believed that she had to tell Höfn what Maiden Avis had confided in her that night she was drunk. The Maidens of the TalonSpear were said to be wedded with death, but that wasn't true. They worshipped Thanatos as their deity, every kill they made was like a sacrifice to their god for the more fanatic TalonSpear Maidens. But they never wed him, it was only by misconception that people thought that. TalonSpear Maidens were just like any other woman, they had emotions, they could feel pain, they could feel love. Most Maidens only never got to know a man well enough because most men thought of them as off limits since they thought they were already wedded to death. But Accipiter knew that Maiden Avis _had_ fallen in love. With _Höfn_ of all people!

Accipiter didn't understand how the emotion had started in her fellow TalonSpear sister, but she knew that Avis would have wanted the blond idiot of a man to know her feelings for him if anything should happen to her. If Maiden Avis truly was dead as Accipiter highly doubt, she would have wanted it this way, even if she was still alive. Maybe now when she comes back she'll have someone waiting for her besides her TalonSpear sisters.

She finally came up to the entrance of one of the houses and knocked on the door. There was a pause when she suddenly heard the door being opened and a blond head popped out from behind the door. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the blond spiky haired man with blue bloodshot eyes. The tearstains on his cheeks were evident, but he didn't seem to care and he gave her a dull look.

"Yes?" he asked blankly, bordering on rude, but Accipiter didn't care. "What do you want Maiden Accipiter?"

She coughed and straightened herself up. "I was wondering if I could talk to you." she said.

He blinked as he waited for her to tell her what she wanted to say.

Accipiter looked around and then back at Höfn. "If you don't mind, I think you'll want to sit down to listen to what I've got to say…" she said, her voice trailing off.

"Oh, sure, come in," he said unenthusiastically as he fully opened the door, letting her see that his face wasn't the only thing that was a mess. He looked terrible. He wore a loose plain white shirt which was buttoned wrong and at an awkward angle and black pants which trailed down beneath his feet which were bare. His living room was a mess of a large table overflowing with papers, some even had made their way onto the floor in awkward piles. She raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"Sorry for the mess," he mumbled as he sat down on one of the chairs of the table and bade her to sit as well, which she ignored.

"Höfn, what has happened to you?" she asked with genuine concern. In all the years that she had know him, she knew him to be neat and thorough, the reason for him becoming a strategy general. But the man she saw before her was the crumpled shell of what he once was.

He leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees as he rubbed the bridge between his eyes as he tried to choke back a sob which threatened to come out. "I don't know what to do with myself now, Accipiter..." he said solemnly, to her surprise. "I can't see myself living without her…"

"Without who?" she asked in confusion. She'd never been good with comforting people, and never in her life had she seen a man at such a weakened state. It made her wonder what could had reduced a once strong man to such a pitiful sight.

"Without _her_," he practically sobbed. _"Avis..."_


End file.
